SmallCaliberCentral

First post - just bought a Tikka T3 Lite last week, plus cases, bullets, dies, waiting on my scope and DNZ mount to arrive. I've been gleening as much info as I can on reloading .204 and somewhere I read a comment that said "the .204 performs better away from the lands" - yeah or nay? I'll check my distance to the lands soon but I'll be hostage to the COL due to the magazine and I don't know how much room I'll have to spare.

So does everyone keep it at 2.260" for Nosler handbook - 2.250" Hodgden website or what? Thanks.

Welcome.You're starting with a great rifle.The 204r does seem to shoot well,off the lands.Don't know for sure how your gun is throated but most are so long that it is imposible to reach the lands and still have enough bullet in the neck to hold it sufficiantly.Hornady factory loads are 2.250 +/-.Most reloaders are loading around 2.350,give or take.After checking your OAL of the chamber,try loading to maximum length of your magazine.I load single shot,so am not effected by COAL for magazines.Have fun finding the sweet spot.

Since I'm new to reloading, I'll ask a question.

'Off the lands?" I'm going to assume that this means that the bullet is seated in the chamber, and brass in such away that it does not engage the grooves of the barrel. This would be a chamber issue, correct? Wouldn't it also affect the accuracy of the rifle, since the bullet has to move forward once it is pushed out of the brass, and then start it's spin?

Any help for a noob is always appreciated.

Gary

Seems like, for whatever reason, most all 204's have a long throat and it is difficult to seat a bullet out far enough to touch the lands. You are going to have to play with seating depth, on your rifle, and use what works best for your load/s. Bill K

Looking at my load info they vary due to the gr's and mfg this is what I have down.
Hornady 32gr v-max COL-2.278
Hornady 40gr v-max COL-2.281
Barnes 26gr varm ger COL-2.241
Midway 34gr Dogtwn COL-2.210

I am using a Savage model 12 VLP-DBM 26'' STAINLESS barrel. w/trigger pull to 14oz (my self/trigger polishing job) with a remy front benchrest holder, and protector bunny eared lg rearbag. A 6x32x50 Swift scp, using rem-brass, I FL at new then only NS after that until any chambering issues will FL. Use Win primers but I perfer the federal seems to group slightly better. Powder using is W748, Varget, Tac, Exterminator, and just going to try H4198,